Vaccinations and other ways to keep them as safe as possible

If its preventable, why not take the steps?

  • Core vaccinations

  • At-risk vaccinations

  • Heartworm prevention

  • Flea and Tick prevention

  • Diet awareness

  • Leash Training - life-long learners

  • Exercise

  • Grooming

Puppies and kittens…

In puppies and kittens, we recommend starting vaccinations around 6-8 weeks of age. They should receive booster vaccinations every 3-4 weeks until they are 16 weeks of age to ensure the body is able to produce antibodies for a longer period of time.

Puppies:

  • DAPv (distemper, adenovirus, and parvovirus) initial

  • Bordetella intranasal (also known as kennel cough vaccine)

  • DAPvL (distemper, adenovirus, and leptospirosis) - given at 12 weeks of age or older

  • If they will be a world traveler, rabies vaccines can be started at 12 weeks of age or older.

Kittens:

  • FVRCP (rhinotracheitis virus, calicivirus, and panleukopenia)

  • If outdoor life is in their future, FeLV vaccine (feline leukemia) - given at 12 weeks of age or older.

  • If they will be a world traveler, rabies vaccines can be started at 12 weeks of age

In this stage of life, their immune systems have not yet matured and are relying on the antibodies they received via their mother (passive immunity). Over time, these maternal antibodies start to decrease (this especially occurs during the weaning process). Most will start weaning at about 6 weeks of age, thus why it is recommended to start vaccinating to help prime the immune system and protect them against common preventable diseases.

While we are waiting for their immune systems to mature, decreasing the risk of exposure to diseases is very important. Avoid socializing with animals with unknown vaccination history. Do not allow them to go outside in an area that is frequented by others that you don’t know.

Adults

As adults, some vaccinations are given bi-annually, annually, or triennially.

Cats:

For indoor cats, we recommend the initial FVRCP vaccine (if they did not receive their kitten series) to be repeated 3-4 weeks later. It is repeated 1 year later, then the vaccine can be given every 3 years.

Outdoor cats will require additional vaccines to protect them against some diseases that can develop through contact with stray animals. In cats with an unknown history, testing for common outdoor cat diseases like FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) or FeLV (Feline Leukemia virus) is recommended. This is especially important when you are introducing a new cat to into the cat pet family. Quarantining until the test is taken is highly recommended.

Dogs:

Adult dogs can receive vaccines depending on the type of vaccines, as well as their risk level for exposure to different diseases. Please notify the veterinarian if your pet has experienced a vaccine reaction prior to booking an appointment.

Core vaccines for dogs include:

  • DAPvL (distemper, adenovirus, leptospirosis)

    • Important to note that the leptospirosis vaccine helps decrease the risk of development of leptospirosis but does not eliminate it due to the many different types that exist.

    • After boostering is complete, can be administered every 3 years

Risk-based vaccines:

  • Bordetella/Parainfluenza - commonly known as kennel cough vaccine

    • Decreases the risk of developing severe kennel cough. There are many different causes of kennel cough but Bordetella and Parainfluenza are the most concerning.

    • Depending on the boarding facility, this may be required every 6-12 months.

  • Canine Influenza

    • Decreases the risk of developing canine influenza.

    • May be required at some boarding facilities. Must be boostered 3-4 weeks after the initial vaccine is given. Thereafter can be given once a year to keep protective titers up.

Heartworm disease

Living in Hawai’i, we have our share of encounters with mosquitoes. For our dogs and cats, it is a little different. Within mosquitos lives heartworm larvae that can be introduced to our pets with a single mosquito bite.

Over time (about 5-7 months), these larvae grow into adult heartworms that make their home in the hearts of our pets. Sometimes, they might migrate and get lost and end up in other organs (kidney, liver, bladder, etc).

As more of these heartworms exist in the heart of our pets, they cause irreversible damage. In dogs, they can develop right-sided heart failure. In cats, due to their small size, it causes difficult breathing.

To combat heartworm disease, monthly heartworm preventatives are strongly recommended. For dogs, they can be given topically, orally, or as an injection (which may last 6-12 months depending). In cats, there is only a topical option.

Common signs that an animal may have heartworm disease include:

  • weight loss

  • distended belly

  • coughing

  • decreased ability to exercise

  • decreased appetite

  • difficulty breathing

Fleas and ticks… oh my …

Ever had that itch that you just could not get? The animals know the feeling.

Ticks and fleas have been the nemesis for dogs and cats for a long time. Not only are they annoying, but they also can transmit some unfriendly diseases.

Common vector-borne diseases seen in animals in Hawai’i include

  • Anaplasmosis

  • Ehrlichiosis

  • Babesiosis

  • Bartonellosis

These diseases are infamous for the their ability to hide and be difficult to diagnose.

Common signs that are seen in some of these diseases include:

  • lethargy

  • decreased appetite

  • joint swelling

  • lameness

  • pale gums

  • weight loss

  • fever

Monthly flea and tick preventatives can help protect our animals from these diseases. In dogs, these can be applied topically or orally. In cats, there are only topical options currently available.

Diet considerations

With the plethora of dietary options for dogs and cats out there it is easy to get overwhelmed.

Is there one way to feed your dog or cat? No.

Every individual has their own needs and sensitivities that need to be taken into consideration.

The one common concern is that diets are species specific and nutritionally balanced.

A balanced veterinary diet is the best way to ensure that our animals are getting all the nutrients they need.

Some animals have conditions that may change how and what you feed them and sometimes, we are not able to find a diet that is “perfect” for them. Homemade diets can be balanced if a recipe developed by a boarded veterinary nutritionist is followed.

Some species require specific types of diets. For example. a cat is an obligate carnivore, meaning it must have meat in its diet. A dog is a little more flexible being an omnivore, meaning they can eat plants and meat to meet their requirements.

In addition, some research has shown that grain-free diets in dogs has been associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a heart disease that has been on the rise since the popularity of grain-free diets has gone up. More research is being done to further investigate this association and understand why it occurs.

Raw diets are controversial. The key point to know about raw diets is food safety. Just like in the kitchen, there is always the potential for contamination with bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella. For us, usually they are removed from the equation by adequate cooking. In raw diets, not so much. The risk outweigh the benefit of raw diets as illness from food-borne bacteria can become serious and even fatal.